‘Massive surprise, I can’t answer this question’- Gautam Gambhir criticizes Hardik Pandya’s captaincy
Yuzvendra Chahal replaced Umran Malik in India’s playing XI for the second T20 international against New Zealand on Sunday. Chahal immediately had an impact as he accounted for the wicket of Finn Allen on just the third ball of his first over.
The wicket had loads of assistance for the spinners. The spinners rule the roost in both the first and second game of the series. Thanks to some impressive bowling display from the spinners, India restricted New Zealand to just 99 runs in the first innings.
However, surprisingly, Yuzvendra Chahal didn’t bowl more than 2 overs in the match. He conceded just 4 runs and picked one wicket in 2 overs but Hardik Pandya didn’t make him bowl another over after that.
Former Indian opener, Gautam Gambhir wasn’t really impressed with Hardik Pandya’s decision to not give Chahal the third over despite the wicket assisting the spinners.
“Massive surprise. I can’t answer this question, that too on a wicket like this. Chahal is your number one spinner the T20 format. Just asking him to bowl two overs and in that he got the important wicket of Finn Allen and then not using his full quota of overs makes no sense to me,” said Gambhir on Star Sports after the match.
Gambhir reckoned that India would have bundled out New Zealand for just 80-85 runs had Hardik Pandya given Chahal another over in the latter half of the innings.
“Yes, you want to give young guys another opportunity like Arshdeep Singh or Shivam Mavi. But then you could have bowled Chahal in the last over as well, or earlier. So I feel he missed a trick. He could have got New Zealand bowled for maybe 80 or 85 and on this kind of pitch, you don’t want to let the opposition off the hook. Massive surprise, asking Hooda to bowl four overs but not Chahal,” said Gambhir.
Nevertheless, India won the second T20I and leveled the series 1-1. The third and final T20I is scheduled to be played at Narendra Modi Stadium on Wednesday.
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